(Chengdu, Sichuan Province – March 13, 2024) On February 25, 2024, which was the day after the Chinese Lantern Festival, the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu held its first Sunday worship of 2024 in a rented hotel. Baptisms and communion were conducted during the service, with two baptisms and ten believers transferring in. After the Sunday worship, the Pastor of the church, Wu Wuqing, was taken away by police from the Dongsheng Police Station of Shuangliu Sub-bureau, Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau.
According to Christians from the Early Rain Church who were waiting outside the police station, Pastor Wu Wuqing was taken for a physical examination in the afternoon. Later in the evening, Wu Wuqing’s family received a detention notice stating that he was administratively detained for 14 days by the Shuangliu District Public Security Sub-bureau of Chengdu City on suspicion of “organizing illegal gatherings.” He was then sent to the Shuangliu District Detention Center that same night.
It is worth mentioning that when the police entered the Sunday worship venue, both sides showed a certain level of restraint. The police from the Dongsheng Police Station of Shuangliu Sub-bureau were also polite. Christians of the Early Rain Covenant Church continued to quietly receive communion in front of the police. Sister Xiong, the wife of Pastor Wu Wuqing, had no complaints about her husband’s detention. She spoke peacefully and joyfully about God’s grace, expressing gratitude for the gathering with brothers and sisters on communion Sunday. Xiong said, “Fourteen days is nothing. We are so happy to gather today, and when he returns in fourteen days, we will gather again.”
This recent detention, occurring on the eve of NPC and CPPCC, may be part of the Chengdu police’s consistent stability maintenance strategy. After Pastor Wu Wuqing’s detention, the Early Rain Covenant Church publicly announced this news on its official channels and asked fellow brothers and sisters to pray for him.
Persecution History
Since December 9, 2018, the Early Rain Covenant Church has been persistently pressured by the government through illegal means. The Christians of the church have been continuously monitored, tracked, expelled, and summoned, facing difficult circumstances. Certain special dates each year, such as the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), May 12th and June 4th, the National Party Congress, and the anniversary of December 9th church crackdown, are routine stability maintenance periods for the government against the church. During these periods, pastors, co-workers, and members of the Church typically experience extensive stability maintenance measures. Some are kept under house arrest, some are warned not to leave their homes, and some are even summoned or detained.
As a Pastor who refuses to compromise in his faith, Wu Wuqing has been detained and summoned multiple times (sometimes for nearly 24 hours), his car tires have been punctured, water and electricity supply to his home have been cut off, he has been forced to move, and even security guards have prevented him from going back to his home, throwing his furniture brought by car into the trash. Since the fall of 2020, his home has experienced repeated water and power cuts inncluding:
- On March 26, 2021, not only was Pastor Wu Wuqing taken away by the police, but his wife was also taken away.
- On the evening of March 27, Pastor Wu Wuqing was taken away again and detained overnight, only being released and allowed to return home on the following day (Sunday) at noon.
- On April 1, the 16th anniversary of the establishment of the Early Rain Covenant Church, the police once again took away Pastor Wu Wuqing without any reason or presenting any documentation.
- On the afternoon of May 7, immediately after hosting a memorial service, Pastor Wu Wuqing was taken away for questioning and was not released until around 8 p.m. that evening.
- In early May, Pastor Wu Wuqing’s car tires were repeatedly deflated and even punctured, making them irreparable and necessitating replacement.
- On May 8, Pastor Wu Wuqing was taken away again, and his wife and church members who were waiting for him at the police station were also detained. Church members Dai Zhichao and Shu Qiong were also subjected to police violence.
- Starting from June 4, the only exit from Pastor Wu’s home leading downstairs—a fire exit—was chained shut, and three to four unidentified individuals stood guard outside, unlawfully restricting their freedom, severely affecting the lives of Pastor Wu and his family.
- On July 5, the personnel who had been guarding Pastor Wu day and night finally withdrew after a whole month.
- On July 17, Pastor Wu was summoned by the police again.
- On the eve of the 2023 the annual sessions of NPC and CPPCC, community personnel also guarded Pastor Wu Wuqing’s home.
- On December 8, one day before the anniversary of the December 9th church crackdown, unidentified individuals were stationed at the homes of Pastor Wu Wuqing and other church co-workers to prevent them from going out.
However, these pressures have not stopped Pastor Wu Wuqing from serving the church, nor have they changed his stance of faith.
